


In Dick's Place

by RichardGraysonPercyJackson



Series: The Acrobat and The Mercenary [76]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Bonding, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Good Parent Slade Wilson, M/M, Mentioned Bruce Wayne, Mentioned Dick Grayson, Parent Slade Wilson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:08:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27231751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RichardGraysonPercyJackson/pseuds/RichardGraysonPercyJackson
Summary: Going down to Gotham Academy to bail Damian Wayne out of trouble is not how Slade wanted to spend part of his Tuesday but it ends up being exactly what he and Damian need
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson
Series: The Acrobat and The Mercenary [76]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1323779
Comments: 26
Kudos: 249





	In Dick's Place

**Author's Note:**

> This idea comes from Mar_69 and the idea was just too cute not to write immediately!

_Every_ fucking _time_ . Slade thought sourly to himself as he walked down the halls of Gotham Academy towards the principal's office, the school receptionist casting him frightened glances every few seconds. _Every time Dick’s out of town, his dumbass brothers become_ my _problem._

“I-I’m sorry to ask,” the small woman said, voice shaking. “You’re...Damian Wayne’s...guardian?”

Slade grunted. “Close enough.”

The woman stopped at that and he sighed. He had _shit_ to get done and bailing a kid out of trouble because Dick wasn’t home was _not_ on his list.

“Sir-”

“The kid’s guardian is my husband,” Slade cut in, seeing her eyes widen as everyone’s did when Slade mentioned being married to a man. “Therefore, I am also his guardian.”

“Um...right,” she mumbled, clearing her throat before scampering the rest of the way to the office. “Mr. Rogers? Mr. Gray...uh...Damian’s guardian is here.”

“Thanks you, Miss…” the principal’s words trailed off as Slade stepped into the room and lazily dropped into the seat in front of Mr. Rogers’ desk, young Damian staring at him from the other chair before demanding,

“What are _you_ doing here?”

“Richard’s busy,” Slade replied, keeping his focus on Mr. Rogers. “I’m his husband, so I’m standing in. So what did the kid do this time?”

Mr. Rogers gaped at Slade for a long time before his gaze slow slid over to Damian, something clicking in his mind. Slade narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest,

“Whatever this kid did, I guarantee I had nothing to do with it,” he snapped. He knew what people thought, knew damn well that the kid had gotten into a fight and based solely on his appearence, Mr. Rogers was assuming it was because of Slade.

“Right,” Mr. Rogers said slowly, clearing his throat as his gaze returned to Slade. “He was found in the hallway during fourth period in the middle of a fist fight with two boys who are otherwise model students-”

“This isn’t the first time Damian has gotten into a fight.”

“I’m afraid not, no. After speaking with the boys, they claimed Damian approached theme and threw the first punch for no rea-”

“I’m going to stop you right there,” Slade said calmly, tone hard enough to make Mr. Rogers cut himself off and snap his mouth shut. “This kid may pick fights but he knows better than to do it in school. Those boys being model students is bullshit.”

The man gave a weak laugh. “Mr. Gray-”

“What happened?” Slade asked, ignoring the principal and turning to look at Damian.

Damian huffed, crossing his arms over his chest though there was no denying the odd look in his eyes.

“I was heading to my class after a break for the restroom,” Damian explained calmly. “When those boys took hold of my shirt and slammed me into the locker-”

“Mr. Wayne-”

“Continue,” Slade cut in.

“Their parents had recently been cut from a Wayne Enterprise project and they blamed father,” Damian elaborated. “I did _not_ throw any punch and merely focused on protecting myself.”

“I see,” Slade said calmly. “And tell me, Damian, are these boys actually model students as dear Mr. Rogers here proclaims?”

Damian scoffed. “Of course not,” he drawled. “Mr. Rogers here has been accepting bribes from the boys and their parents in order to keep them in the school despite the bullying and physical fights they get into.”

“Bullying you say,” Slade repeated, turning from Damian’s smug look towards Mr. Rogers’ pale expression. “HOw interesting, because my husband told me this Academy had a no bullying policy.”

“I-we do.”

“Of course, of course,” Slade drawled. “Just not when there’s money involved, it seems.”

“Mr Gray-”

“ _I_ am Mr. Wilson,” Slade snapped. “If you wanted sweet Mr Grayson who would have let you get away with punishing this boy, then I suppose you should have waited until _tomorrow_ when he’s actually home.”

Getting to his feet, Slade snapped his fingers at Damian adn sad, “Come. We’re leaving.”

“Mr. _Wilson_ , we still haven’t discussed the matter of Mr. Wayne’s punishment!”

“What punishment?” Slade asked, one hand on Damian’s shoulder as he steered the boy out of the office. “He did nothing wrong.”

He pushed Damian out of the office before the man could say anything else.

…………………………………

“Where _is_ Grayson?” Damian asked tentatively once he and Slade were ten minutes down the road from the academy.

The mercenary grunted. “Undercover mission for your father,” he replied, his grip on the steering wheel giving way his feelings for that. “He’ll be back tomorrow night.”

“I see,” Damian murmured.

Slade tilted his head in Damian’s direction. “Don’t sound so enthused, kid,” he quipped, sarcastic.

“Do you know what time Grayson will return?”

“Not until late,” Slade replied. “Maybe not until Thursday morning.”

Damian was silent. “I see.”

Slade was silent a moment before asking, “Let me guess. He made you a promise he knew he couldn’t keep.”

“Father tends to bring undercover missions up on us from nowhere,” Damian explained. “There is little chance Grayson knew he would not be able to keep his promise.”

Slade hummed. “And what promise was that?”

“I have...an art competition I was entered into at school tomorrow evening,” Damian reluctantly explained after a moment. “Grayson promised he would be there.”

“I’m sure he meant to, kid. Why not ask your father.”

“Father cares little for what I do outside of Robin duties, so long as I am not harming others,” Damian replied. “Besides, it was really Grayson I wanted to see.”

Slade was silent. “I see.”

……………………………………..

THE NEXT EVENING

“Ooh, I love this piece Damian,” Damian's classmate, Elizabeth, said after bounding over to Damian’s display where the young boy had been standing, alone and miserable.

“Thank you,” Damian said, stiffly. “It is not my favorite.”

“I don’t know, I think it’s good. Not that I’ve ever had an eye or taste for art, mind you.”

Damian whirled around, eyes going wide as the sight of Slade in jeans and a t-shirt, a leather jacket thrown overtop and one of his fake eyes in place.

“What are you doing here?” Damian asked as the mercenary walked up to stand beside him, Elizabeth having instantly turned and rushed off at the sight of the massive man.

Slade grunted. “Favor for your brother,” he replied.

Damian frowned. “Grayson asked you to come?”

“No,” Slade replied, looking down at Damian. “But you looked more miserable than I’ve seen you when you realized Richard couldn’t make it tonight, so I figured I’d fill in.” He shrugged, looking only slightly out of place amongst the typical mothers and father’s filling the room adn dressed in suits and dresses and expensive jewels to show off their wealth. “If you don’t want me here-”

“No,” Damian said firmly. “I...thank you for coming…” he swallowed thickly. “Slade. It means a lot to me.”

Slade blinked at the use of his name before allowing himself to smile and reply, “No problem, kid.”

Damian shifted slightly before asking, “Did you attend art competitions with your children?”

Slade hummed. “None of my kids were real artistic,” he replied. “Grant hated me, Rosie was ashamed of me and Joey…” he shrugged. “Never really did much socially after...losing his voice.”

“I’m sorry,” Damian murmured.

Slade, surprised by the kindness, took a moment before replying, “It’s my own fault, I suppose.”

“Grayson was speaking just last weekend on adopting,” Damian remarked. “Perhaps you will do better then.”

“For Richard, I would do anything,” Slade murmured.

Damian said nothing more, for he had no doubt on that.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know your thoughts


End file.
